Gigi Sohn, Biden’s nominee to head the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) withdrew from consideration for the position. She did so while blaming industry lobbyists and commentators on the right for their opposition. Ironically, it was Democrat Senator Joe Manchin who tanked her nomination.

Manchin said he would not support her in a vote on the floor of the Senate. Without his crucial vote, the Democrats likely wouldn’t have the votes. In denying her his support, Manchin cited her partisanship.

“Especially now, the FCC must remain above the toxic partisanship that Americans are sick and tired of, and Ms. Sohn has clearly shown she is not the person to do that,” Manchin said. “For those reasons, I cannot support her nomination to the FCC, and I urge the Biden administration to put forth a nominee who can bring us together, not drive us apart.”

My statement on my decision to vote against Gigi Sohn for Democratic Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission (@FCC) ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wElUnbI9l4

— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) March 7, 2023

This is a problem Biden has going forward toward the 2024 elections. Joe Manchin has taken on the role of Senator Bipartisanship. He justifies his decisions by claiming he is all about politicians from both sides of the aisle coming together to work for the American people. When push comes to shove, Manchin rarely votes with Republicans, though he and Senator Sinema (I- AZ) did team up to throw a wrench in Biden’s fever dream of passing some trillion-dollar bills and the Democrats burning desire to end the filibuster. Usually, Manchin ends up caving, as he did when he voted yes on the Inflation Reduction Act, a bloated Green New Deal spending bill. For now, Manchin can help keep Biden from putting partisan leftists in place by siding with Republicans.

Sohn has had three hearings on her nomination. It’s been clear for many months that she would not be approved by the Senate. It’s been a 16-month battle for her. Two big stumbling blocks for her with conservatives are her blatant partisanship on social media posts (she’s a former Obama administration official) and her strident support for net neutrality. In such a closely split Senate, she just wasn’t going to get the votes she needed.

Ted Cruz, the ranking member on the Senate Commerce Committee, released a statement upon her withdrawal.

“The withdrawal of Ms. Sohn’s nomination is a major victory and represents a strong bipartisan agreement that we need a fair and impartial candidate who can receive the support needed for confirmation. The FCC is not a place for partisan activists; free speech is too important. Now, it’s time for the Biden administration to put forth a nominee who can be confirmed by the full Senate and is committed to serving as an even-handed and truly independent regulator.”

Despite his claims that he works with everyone and is good at bipartisan negotiations, Biden’s record in office says otherwise. As president he has chosen radically left candidates for all levels of government. In agencies like the FCC, it is important to have at least some level of bipartisan work being produced. With Sohn at the helm of the FCC, the agency would be another far-left takeover by the Biden administration.

Sohn is going full drama queen in her withdrawal statement. The Washington Post published it in its entirety.

Last night after discussions with my family and careful consideration, I made the decision to ask President Biden to withdraw my nomination to the Federal Communications Commission. When I accepted his nomination over sixteen months ago, I could not have imagined that legions of cable and media industry lobbyists, their bought-and-paid-for surrogates, and dark money political groups with bottomless pockets would distort my over 30-year history as a consumer advocate into an absurd caricature of blatant lies. The unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks on my character and my career as an advocate for the public interest have taken an enormous toll on me and my family.

Unfortunately, the American people are the real losers here. The FCC deadlock, now over two years long, will remain so for a long time. As someone who has advocated for my entire career for affordable, accessible broadband for every American, it is ironic that the 2-2 FCC will remain sidelined at the most consequential opportunity for broadband in our lifetimes. This means that your broadband will be more expensive for lack of competition, minority and underrepresented voices will be marginalized, and your private information will continue to be used and sold at the whim of your broadband provider. It means that the FCC will not have a majority to adopt strong rules which ensure that everyone has nondiscriminatory access to broadband, regardless of who they are or where they live, and that low income students will continue to be forced to do their school work sitting outside of Taco Bell because universal service funds can’t be used for broadband in their homes. And it means that many rural Americans will continue the long wait for broadband because the FCC can’t fix its Universal Service programs.

It is a sad day for our country and our democracy when dominant industries, with assistance from unlimited dark money, get to choose their regulators. And with the help of their friends in the Senate, the powerful cable and media companies have done just that.

I want to thank President Biden for his faith in me and for my champions in the Senate who defended me at every turn. I especially want to thank the dozens of people who volunteered their time and energy to help me through this process, as well as the over 400 organizations, companies and trade associations, and hundreds of thousands of individuals who registered their support with the Senate. I will forever be grateful for their efforts on my behalf.

I hope the President swiftly nominates an individual who puts the American people first over all other interests. The country deserves nothing less.

Sohn would have been the first openly gay FCC chairman. With Biden, diversity and checking identity boxes are more important in hiring decisions than actual qualifications. Her sexuality would have been mentioned in Biden’s speech if her nomination had reached a successful conclusion. We know from past speeches, Biden embraces boasting about historical firsts with his staff and cabinet. The rest of us see the damage his obsession with diversity has brought. It’s a good thing she wasn’t nominated for the Supreme Court as a conservative if she thinks her nomination to the FCC was rough on her family, right?